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Explore the landscape of federal Research and Development funding, priorities, and challenges. Understand the importance of R&D in driving innovation, productivity, and economic growth. Get insights on FY 2014 priorities and Congress's stance on funding allocations.
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Federal R&D: Overview, Update and Outlook Matt Hourihan September 15, 2013 for the National Association of Graduate-Professional Students AAAS R&D Budget and Policy Programhttp://www.aaas.org/spp/rd
Why (Public) R&D? • Technology and innovation account for >50% of postwar growth in most developed countries • Productivity growth • Decentralized nature of modern innovation • Public-Private • STEM capacity • Radical innovations (ideas, technologies, tools, methods) • It’s all about risk, uncertainty, and time • Gov’t as “de-risker,” expander of knowledge stock
Admin FY 2014 R&D Priorities • Clear shift from D to R • And from Defense to Nondefense • Science • NSF, Dept. of Energy SC • Agriculture, neuroscience, big data, defense science • Webb Telescope • Innovation • Advanced manufacturing initiatives across the board • Translational Medicine (NIH) • Space Technology (NASA)
Admin FY 2014 R&D Priorities (Cont) • Clean Energy • Renewable/efficiency technology offices, ARPA-E • But not so much for nuclear • Homeland Security • Biodefense facility • National Nuclear Security Administration (New START) • STEM Education Reorganization
Admin FY 2014 R&D Priorities (Cont) • The biggie for R&D: Returning discretionary spending to pre-sequester levels • Every agency would receive major increases above FY13
Congress: Where Are We? • Of 12 appropriations bills: • Four through House, none through Senate • Fiscal year + debt ceiling • Two discretionary budget caps: • President and Senate: $1.06 trillion… • House (and current law): $967 billion • R&D appropriations decisions so far (mostly) reflect these differences • But does any of it matter?
Congress So Far • Areas of (rough) agreement: • Defense (including DOE), Homeland Security, Veterans-related R&D • STEM reorganization: “no thanks, for now” • Planetary science • USDA
Congress So Far (Cont) • Rough agreement in priorities but divergent funding anyway • NSF • Social sciences…? • NASA exploration and technology: asteroids?? • DOE Office of Science • Fusion? BER? • NIST
Congress So Far (Cont) • Areas of complete divergence in priorities • Clean energy R&D • Natural resources and environmental science • EPA, USGS • Unknown: NIH, but House Labor-HHS bill will be much smaller
Big Picture / Looking Ahead • The clock is ticking • Analysts: a mix of taxes and spending cuts • But hardline politics has led to complete and utter fiscal failure • Almost certainly heading for a continuing resolution • FY13 funding minus ~2%? • The debt ceiling situation is scary • FY 2015 planning also murky
For more info… mhouriha@aaas.org 202-326-6607 www.aaas.org/spp/rd/